Rail for railroads



(No Model.)

A. J. MOXHAM.

RAIL FOR RAILROADS. 7 No. 477,674. Patented June 28, 1892.

IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY A f e f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR MOXHAM, OF J (lHNSTOlVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL FOR RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,674, dated June 28, 1892. Application filed September 22, 1891. Serial No. 406,495. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, of Johnstowmin the countyof Oarnbria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rails fol-Railroads, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide rails which when laid shall form continuous track-rails, having suitable provision at the same time for expanding and contracting under changes of atmosperic temperature.

I will now describe one'method of carrying out my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in plan of an expansible rail embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken through Fig. 2 at the line X X. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken through Fig. 3 at the line Z Z. Fig. 5 shows in cross-section, and Figs. 0 and 7 in perspective, certain details hereinafter described.

In said figures the several parts are respectively indicated by reference-letters, as follows:

The letters R indicate two contiguous rails; H, their heads; T, their side trams; to, their webs, and F their lower flanges.

The letter E indicates an expansion piece or block of metal serrated or partially cut through from opposite sides or otherwise formed of the desired shape. The upper surface of said piece conforms to the shape of the adjoining rails, as shown in Fig. 5, and said piece is inserted between the ends of the rails R and is preferably welded to said rail ends,

though any other suitable means of securing it in place may be employed. The piece E is provided with holes h, Fig. 5, passing longitudinally therethrough, through which holes are passed, the rods or pieces B having on their ends bearing-plates 0, provided with holes, or, preferably, slots 0. Said bearingplates may be shaped as shown to bear against the under sides of the heads and tram of the rails and over the lower flanges F. Two such rods are shown and deemed preferable, though only one may be used, if desired.

The several parts shown in the drawings are united in the following-described manner: The expansion-piece E is formed of the desired shape with the holes h therein. Each rod B is preferably formed in two parts ad, as shown in Fig. 6, each part having a bearing-plate o,

attached thereto. The longer portions (Z of the rods are then passed through the holes h in the expansion-piece and the shorter portions (0 then welded to the portions d, making an integral rod. The point of welding would 6c be at the points ad, Fig. 6, and the appearance of the rod B after welding is shown in perspective in Fig. 7. The rod or rods having been thus inserted in the expansion-piece the device is slipped over the ends of the rails leaving the expansion-piece between said ends, to which it is then preferably secured by welding. The bearing-plates (J are then bolted to the Webs of the rails by means of the bolts 11, provided with nuts n, said plates said piece approaching each other as the rail expands and receding from each other as the rail contracts, under changes of atmospheric tem perat u re.

In order to provide against the possibility of the expansion portion E becomingloosened from the rails and to prevent danger of the track spreading or the rail bending or being bowed in permanent set at the point at which the expansion-piece is inserted, the rod. or rods B are passed through said expansion-piece 0 and bolted to the web of the rail, as above described, the slots 0 through which the bolts 1) pass permitting said bolts to slide therein under the contraction and expansion of the rails. Thus while the rails are free to elongate and shorten transverse stiffness is secured and the expansion portion strengthened, and in case the welding between the rails and expansion-piece should give way or break said piece would still be held in place ICO until the defective weld could be renewed.

The openings in the expansion-piece E at the junction of the head and tram are so small that no jar will be felt by the passage of the is found best, insert one of the expansionpieces above described I do not confine myself to the fornrof rail .shown as it is obvious that my invention is applicable to any form of girder-rail, nor to' the exact shape of the pieces B, nor to the precise form of expansion-pieces shown.

Having thus fully described my said inven= tion, I'claim-' 1. The combination'of railway-rails, an ex pansion and contraction portion secured be tween the ends of said rails, and a longitudinal stiffening piece or pieces passing'throngh' said portion on the side of said rails.

2. The combination of railway-rails, an expansion and contraction piece welded to the ends of said rails, and a longitudinal stiffening piece or pieces passing through said piece on the side of said rails.

3. The combination of railway-raiis, an expansion and contraction portion secured between the ends of said rails, and a longitudi- 'nal stiffening piece or pieces passing through said portion and secured to said rails. 4. The combination of railway-rails, an eX- pansion and contraction piece between said rails, and a longitudinal stiffening piece or pieces passing through said piece and provided with plates at their ends.

5. The combination of railway-rails, an expansion and contraction piece between said rails, and a longitudinal stifiening piece or pieces: passing through said piece and pro= vided with plates at their ends secured to said rails. I

6. The combination of railway-rails, an expansion and contraction piece between said rails, and a longitudinal stiffeningpiece or pieces passing through said piece and provided with bearing-plates at their ends.

7. The combination of railway-rails, a serratedexpansion and contraction piece welded to the ends of said rails, and a longitudinal stiffening piece or pieces passing through said piece and provided with Tbearing-plates at their ends.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM.

Buildings, 

